Letter to the editor: Trump emboldens right-wing terrorism, Brunswick Beacon

Brunswick Beacon, 07.03.25

In 2017, Trump appointed Republican Christopher Wray as FBI Director. Wray told Congress that the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters was “domestic terrorism.” Initially Trump agreed, calling it a "heinous attack" that "defiled the seat of American democracy." 

Within months, Trump flip-flopped, calling Jan. 6 “a day of love,” as if we never saw the videos of rioters who used firearms, stun guns, flagpoles, bear spray and even explosive devices to attack police. Trump dumped Wray with three years remaining on his 10-year term and replaced him with Kash Patel, who raised money for those same attackers. 

On Inauguration Day, Trump pardoned nearly 1,600 Jan. 6 rioters. He commuted the sentences of 14 members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers militia. Most were convicted of sedition, including Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, serving a 22-year sentence, and Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, sentenced to 18 years.

Trump gutted the federal office dedicated to preventing domestic terrorism. He considered pardoning the men convicted of attempting to kidnap and kill Michigan’s Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Trump calls Democrats “demonic” and “the enemy from within.” His thugs have manhandled or arrested several Democratic office-holders, who he says "are sick of mind, hate our Country, and actually want to destroy our Inner Cities." 

Predictably, right-wing terrorism followed Trump’s demonization of Democrats. On June 14, Vance Boelter, a Trump supporter, doomsday prepper, and fan of right-wing conspiracy-theorist Alex Jones, assassinated Minnesota’s former Democratic House speaker and her husband and seriously wounded Democratic Sen. John Hoffman and his wife. Boelter had a hit list of over 45 state and federal officials, all Democrats.

The Atlantic published a list of 40 times Trump condoned violence, including his Jan. 6 tweet attacking Mike Pence, which incited the mob to chant, “Hang Mike Pence.” Trump’s response: “Mike Pence deserves it.” Trump deliberately targeted his own vice president. No American, Republican or Democrat, is safe.

Rich Cooper

Leland